


1618

by Yudonomi



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/F, Light Angst, Loosely Historical, Nyotalia, kids in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 15:57:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21121421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yudonomi/pseuds/Yudonomi
Summary: It's the year 1618. It will be the last time Herleva sees Nino struggling with his workload.





	1618

**Author's Note:**

> Herleva Adler: Nyo!HRE  
"Nino" Da Mar: Nyo!NItaly who didn't care enough to correct the people who basically just called her kid/boy cuz she looked like one. I headcanon she doesn't change her last name until after she unified with her older sister, who changed to Vargas a bit before that.
> 
> 7/7/2020 Edit: hi i changed the surname because apparently gallo is more southern than northern italian and also. This new one also means 'of the sea', which fits Venezia's maritime empire days.

It's the year 1618. Herleva Adler looks up to the clear blue sky and sees the birds soaring high above her. Her dress flutters in the breeze and it's such a serene morning that it's unnatural of her not to enjoy it. Instead, she looks up to the sky and imagines the rain of blood that will surround her in the next few weeks.

War has begun, and she doubts it will end quickly and lighty this time.

Behind her she hears the grunts of a young child: probably a servant fetching a bucket of water from the nearby well. She turns around and her heart freezes in place, unsure of whether to jump in joy or break.

Will this be the last time she sees her Nino Da Mar struggling with his workload?

She gathers her skirts and races down the dirt path by their home to his side. 

"Let me help you," she says as she offers a hand. The boy frowns, but doesn't refuse.

The two children walk side-by-side, the bucket sloshing water between them. Heavy air settles around them, and Herleva swallows as she tries to muster courage to speak and fails try after try.

Eventually, it's Nino who breaks the silence. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"Yes." The path leading to the manor is just wide enough for both of them, and a few daisies have already bloomed in the grass by the sides. Herleva wishes that the white petals staring at her were even enough to calm the storm in her.

"Take care, then." Nino replies, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I appreciate that."

They reach the outskirts of the manor gates and they pause as Nino reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small ribbon. Herleva gasps, her chest tightening and feeling lighter at the same time.

"Something to remind you of home while you're away," explains Nino. Herleva stares at the pure white lace in his hand and takes it. She bends down with Nino as they set down the bucket on the ground before she removes the old, tattered ribbon tying her hair at the back of her head and replaces it with her gift. She imagines that it sits there comfortably, even though she can't see it.

"How do I look?" she asks, spinning so that he can see the back of her head. Her chest hurts so bad and she doesn't know if it's the happiness from being with Nino or the sorrow from never being able to see him again.

Nino smiles, reaches out and brushes a strand of Herleva's long golden locks away from her face "Beautiful as ever."

Every nation has moments when they wish for a normal human life free from the duties of politics and immortality, and this is one of Herleva's. If only she were a young noble girl in love with a servant boy, and not a crumbling empire being torn apart by her own states each passing day. Her brothers and sisters are much larger and stronger than her, even soft Austria who barely waged wars unlike the rest. Her vision blurs and she blinks and sees Nino's eyes widen and his mouth open ever so slightly.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"You're crying." he takes out a handkerchief from his pocket and presses it to her cheeks gently. Herleva's chest tightens even more and she falls to her knees, her shoulders shaking and face twisting as she pours out her fears and laments. Her salty tears mix with the water from the well.

Gott, why couldn't she have just a bit more time?

Nino kneels before her and pulls her into a warm embrace, quivering just a bit "I'll still be here waiting for you."

"I'm scared." she sobs.

"I know, I know," he runs his fingers through her hair and rubs circles on her back. Herleva pulls back and opens her eyes. Through her tears she sees the warm brown eyes of her Nino Da Mar and puts her fingers under his chin, pulling it closer. Before she knows it, her lips are on his and his on hers and she's kissing him and he's kissing her back. Her stomach fluttters and it's too soon when he pulls back. Nino grins amidst his own tears, and he puts a finger to Herleva's lips "Save me another when you come back."

The breeze blows off the flimsy string holding Nino's hair back in a low ponytail and Herleva thinks he looks more beautiful with his hair falling down his shoulders in soft waves than tied up. She holds on to her hat and ribbon and her lips curl up for the first time in months. She eagerly nods and as she and Nino get up, she hears her soldiers calling for her and she looks back at the bucket beside them.

"I can take it from here." Nino says, picking it up. He's still struggling, especially with the way his hair falls in his eyes. He tries to blow it away, but it just falls back again and Herleva giggles as she sweeps his fringe to the side of his face "Thanks."

From there on, Herleva gathers her skirts and runs to the town gates where she knows her men await their nation. She wants to think that Nino waved at her as she left, but she doesn't look back and so she'll never know for sure. When she arrives at the gate, a few of her soldiers are already there, waiting with an extra horse they had brought for her. It doesn't take long for the rest of her troops to arrive and together they mount their steeds and ride out of the town. Women and children line the streets to the outskirts, waving and weeping at their husbands and fathers, and Herleva straightens her back and holds her head high. The mortals might bewildered at what a young girl was doing in the lead of the army, but she does not pay any mind, for her thoughts are all dedicated to Nino for today. It will likely be the last time she can daydream like this, she muses, with France, Bohemia, and half the continent breathing down her neck. Outside the town, the wind is stronger and it makes Herleva's skirts flare about, but her hat still sits on her head and her ribbon in her hair, and with that tiny piece of lace she feels that maybe her end won't be so lonely afterall.


End file.
